<< your position, correct me if i'm wrong , is. it can all be done in bb. >> Yes. my position is it can all be done in BIAB. Not only is it my position, it's indisputable, demonstrable and has in fact, been doable for many years.
<< if that was the case, why are you seeing bb users useing other compositional products ? eg mac people using performer and logic and others. >> I can't speak for others nor speculate for their workflow choices nor does it matter. BIAB is one of many, many compositional tools. BIAB is a choice for composition, accompaniment, education, learning theory, creating backing tracks, creating Karaoke, soundtracks and more. It is a fair and obvious statement to say "they haven't discovered all the things bb can do". None of us have completely I guess. The most common estimate I see here on the forum is users suggest 10% of BIAB's total capability is all they use.
Like many users, I also use DAW's and other software as well as guitar, keyboard and piano for composition. That's a moot point for this discussion because this discussion is about BIAB's capability as a complete and singular, stand alone software program. There will always be tasks and procedures a DAW or software is the 'better' tool for a particular technique.
<< BUT, actually charlie i'm trying to protect pg long term. follow my logic. >> I appreciate your logic but I have to say that in my opinion, it's misplaced logic. It's always futile to concern yourself with any matter one has absolutely no control over. As far as I know, you have no demonstrable control with PG Music. You may be developing scenarios and solutions to problems that internal monitoring by PG staff doesn't expose or validate. Your every opinion, scenario and solution is a personal perception, conjecture and supposition.
In contrast, if you want to be an actual help to do what you can to promote BIAB/RB is rather than create solutions to problems BIAB doesn't have and wish for things that BIAB can do and criticize PG developers as antiquated, behind the times and out of touch with your perceived BIAB target market -- I suggest you explore what BIAB does have, test the features, adapt to what the features offer with and without the inclusion of other software and then pass these techniques to the existing and prospective customer base and target market. Use the product, learn it and make suggestions to enhance existing features and post new uses and alternate ways to apply them to your workflow. More people can immediately and directly benefit from those suggestions than will ever benefit from suggestions PG Music may never adopt or implement.
Regarding my thoughts of your marketing scenarios that some other software is going to steal the BIAB niche from under them...
Unless you have stake in the company, you 1) have no authority, voice or company commitment to you. 2) In the decades since the introduction of BIAB, no other software has come close to replicating BIAB. 3) Over that same period of time, dozens of high quality, multi featured DAWs have come onto the market and all of these companies are surviving nicely together. 4) Real competition would likely do more good for future growth of the BIAB suite of products than your concerns will ever generate.
<< ... my own frustrations. last night i'm working on a song in chord view. right clicked over a marker and one can choose a letter. then i'm thinking "what use are letters of the alphabet to me ?" it would make more sense if the marker lettering said V3 say for verse 3. or B1 for first bridge etc etc that could be typed in by the user ie flexible. IE LARGE LETTERS. because i find the text above the chord too small. cos of my eyesight.
charlie, its little things like this that bug me. >>
As it is with BIAB today - BIAB offers colors, Letters, Text and Numbers. You can use the Part Marker "Bar based section letters" feature and with the 2021 version, make the measures, Part Markers and letters/numbers quite large. So, you should be pro-active to what BIAB is rather than worrying by upgrading and diving into what BIAB really is rather than what you think it's not...
Add updated printing options, enhanced tracks settings, smoother use of MGU and SGU (BB files) within PowerTracks, and more with the latest PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 update!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."
"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."
"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!
The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!
There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.
If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.
We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!
Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.
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